1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a tag-label producing device for producing an RFID label equipped with an RFID circuit element for performing wireless communication of information with the outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
An RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system is known which performs, by means of a reader (reading device)/writer (writing device), transmission/reception of information in a non-contact manner (by an electromagnetic coupling method, electromagnetic induction method, or electromagnetic radiation method or the like using a coil) with respect to an RFID circuit element that stores information. For example, an RFID circuit element provided in a label-like RFID tag is equipped with an IC circuit part for storing predetermined RFID tag information, and an antenna connected to this IC circuit part to transmit/receive information. Since the reader/writer can make access (reading/writing of information) to the RFID tag information of the IC circuit part even in such a case where the RFID tag is soiled or the RFID tag is arranged at a position where it cannot be seen, such an RFID system has been put into practical use in a variety of fields such as merchandise management and inspection processes.
Such an RFID tag is usually formed with RFID circuit elements provided on a label-like material. This tag label is often affixed to a target item or the like for the purpose of classification/organization of various documents/items, for example. Further, at this time, if, separately from tag information stored in the tag, information related to the RFID tag information is printed on a label in advance, the above-mentioned related information can be viewed from the user side, which may prove convenient in many situations. Accordingly, in the related art, a tag-label producing device for producing an RFID label from such a point of view has been already proposed (see, for example, JP,A,2004-82432 and JP,A,2003-208573).
In JP,A,2004-82432, a label equipped with an RFID circuit element (RF-ID element) is affixed to a tape-like tag medium (label sheet), and this is formed into a roll; after performing printing on the surface of the label by printing device (recording head) while paying out and feeding the tag medium from this roll, predetermined information writing is performed in the above-mentioned feeding state by transmitting information to the RFID circuit element from communication device (communication antenna) on the device side, thereby successively producing RFID labels with print.
In JP,A,2003-208573, as in JP,A,2004-82432 mentioned above, a tag medium is paid out from a roll unit equipped with a roll (roll sheet) having wound thereon the tag medium (continuous label sheet) on which RFID circuit elements (antennas and IC chips) are arranged longitudinally at substantially equal internals; after performing predetermined printing onto a predetermined position of that tag medium by printing device, transmission/reception of information is performed by communication device (RF-ID communication antenna) with respect to the RFID circuit elements equipped in the tag medium, thereby successively producing RFID labels with print.
In the related art described in JP, A, 2004-82432 mentioned above, communication with the RFID circuit element is performed while the tag medium is being fed, thereby enabling quick processing as compared with the case where the communication is performed while the feeding is stopped. Further, antennas are respectively provided at two locations on the upstream side with respect to the feed direction. If communication by the antenna on the upstream side has failed, communication is tried again by the antenna on the downstream side, thereby increasing the success rate of communication.
However, since predetermined printing is always performed before communication is performed, the same form of printing is performed on the RFID label all the time irrespective of the success/failure of the communication. For example, if the communication by the antenna and the printing by the printing device are coordinated in such a way that when it is possible or better to reflect the communication result on the form of printing, the communication result is reflected on the printing and recognized by the operator, this should enhance the convenience of the operator. However, no particular consideration has been given in this regard.
Further, in the related art described in each of JP,A,2004-82432 and JP,A,2003-208573 mentioned above, when successively producing tag labels as described above, the tag label production is performed under a state in which it is unknown when the supply of the tag medium from the roll of the roll unit will end (in other words, how many RFID circuit elements remain), which proves inconvenient.
As described above, in the related art mentioned above, in the series of flow of starting the feeding (movement) of the tag medium to sequentially extract the RFID circuit elements from the roll unit, performing printing by the print device, and performing communication with the RFID circuit elements to thereby produce RFID labels, no consideration has been given to enhancing the convenience by performing, in accordance with the movement of the tag medium, processing based on information related to that movement (such as the coordination between communication and printing or number-count display).